1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to games played by two opponents on a square board of sixty-four squares, like chess and checkers. More particularly, it relates to games wherein pieces of two different types can be combined to create a third, more powerful, type of piece. During the course of a game a plurality of pieces of the third type may be created by either player. Also, pieces of the third type may later be un-created, i.e., the component pieces may be separated and again assume their original individual, less powerful, functions. The object of the game is to remove all the opponent's pieces.
2. Description of Related Art
Games in which two opponents move pieces of various types on a squared board have been played in civilizations all over the globe going back to antiquity. Currently, the games of chess and checkers, both played on a square board of sixty-four squares, have assumed major importance and are being played recreationally and in organized competitions by millions of people of both genders and all ages.
In both games there are pieces which only move forward from their starting positions at or near a player's baseline toward the opponent's baseline. Such pieces are all the men in checkers and only the pawns in chess. In both games any man or pawn reaching the opponent's baseline is transformed into a more powerful piece, such as a King in checkers or a Queen (or other major piece) in chess. Such crowning of a man or promotion of a pawn takes place at the opponent's baseline, and not at any other place on the board, and are not reversible. As a result of these and other well-explored basic rules in traditional checkers and chess, many offshoot board games incorporating some features of checkers and/or chess have been proposed.
A search of the U.S. patent literature was undertaken with the specific purpose of finding board games with features similar to crowning or pawn promotion at any point in the game, or any reversal of these events. The following U.S. Pat. Nos. were found:
3,186,716 to Shabarick, PA1 4,019,746 to Hare, PA1 4,032,152 to Schifman, PA1 4,391,449 to Johnson, PA1 45 4,552,364 to Shaffer, PA1 5,340,114 to Wester, PA1 5,351,965 to Telfer et al, PA1 5,472,208 to Berry, and PA1 5,509,662 to Santianni. PA1 1st player RUMVOID: Back row from end to end: PA1 2nd player RUMVOID: Back row from end to end:
A survey of these nine board games indicated that all except Shaffer, Berry and Santianni had boards of 64 squares, mostly in two alternating colors. A variety of piece types and game rules occur. Shaffer adds a "home stone" in mid-game as a target for capture by the opponent to end the game. Wester uses chance to select 12 playing pieces from a lineup of 15 pieces.
In the matter of promotion or crowning, Schifman has a Key Marker which sits on a Courier Peg as two piece types. To win, one must transport a Key Marker on a Courier Peg of one's own or belonging to the opponent to the opponent's baseline. In Berry's game one player moves Pegs and the other player moves Rings, with captures by placing one type of piece over the other type.
The games of Hare, Johnson and Wester provide for a promotion just like pawn promotion in chess, only when the less powerful piece reaches the opponent's baseline. None of these games include a promotion feature in the middle of the board, or a provision to uncreate the promotion.